the blood of Eve
by TheLifeofaGhost
Summary: "They were getting worse. The dreams seemed too real to be anything but. Even Bonnie was starting to get worried. Imagine that, a witch worried about the unexplainable." Caroline's dreams lead her to the small town of Bon Temps. Caroline/Eric one-sided Caroline/Bill
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **the blood of Eve

**Pairing:** Caroline/Eric; One-sided Caroline/Bill; Pam/Tara

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's note:** Sorry for any OOCness. This is only my second time writing for _True Blood_, but my first time writing for the characters: Sookie, Eric, and Bill etc.

* * *

Holy water cannot help you now

See I've had to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

_**Seven Devils**__, Florence and the Machine_

* * *

_The dream_—it had startled her awake. It took a few steady breaths to get her heart to cease its incessant pounding in her chest, hot flesh cooling under the rotation of her ceiling fan. She closed her eyes, recalling the way blood had _poured_ from his eyes. A shudder run through her as she pushed the sweat drenched sheets back, freeing her legs and turning to sit at the edge of her twin mattress.

_Breath in….breath out…breath in…brea—_she bit her tongue, blue orbs darting to the small clock resting idly on her nightstand. _3:00 am_. She cursed, running a hand through her matted blond curls, before getting up. Her feet shuffled against the hardwood floor of her apartment, cursing _whatever god_ had been giving her these _dreams_. More like _nightmares_. They were beginning to _scare _her…stirring up memories—_terrible_ memories of the past. Of a life _not_ her own. A life that had been filled with blood…_so much blood_ and carnage.

She crossed into the bathroom, hand searching the wall for the light switch, flipping it up and illuminating the tiled space. The blond hovered over the sink, shaky fingers turning the crystal knob of her medicine cabinet. Her eyes skimmed over the various bottles littering the small shelves—where had she left the aspirin? She could feel the coming-on of a headache…the pulse in her temple throbbing with a dull ache.

"_Fuck_." She grumbled, remembering she'd taken the last of it the night before…after a particularly _gruesome_ dream. She shook the memory of it from her mind, closing the cabinet door in defeat.

A bloodcurdling scream escaped her lips, eyes widening in fear at the appearance of _the man_ standing behind her. His skin was sopping with blood, mouth set in a revolting smile as he stared back at her through the reflection of the mirror lining the cabinet door. The tiny hairs at the nape of her neck stood on end as he leaned forward, nose running along the curve of her neck. Without warning she felt the intrusion of pain—_sharp pain_—as he sunk his pearly _white_ fangs into her unblemished neck. Another scream.

Her eyes snapped open, hand flying to her throat as she sat up in bed. _Nothing_. Her fingers traced over the pale expanse of skin, noting that there were _no_ fang marks to be felt. It had been a _dream_. She turned on her side, allowing her hand to travel down, over her still drumming heart. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes in thought.

They were getting _worse_. The dreams seemed _too real_ to be anything but. Even Bonnie was starting to get worried. Imagine that, a witch _worried_ about the unexplainable.

The dreams hadn't started when she was young. No, she'd begun experiencing them after her near brush with _death_. She'd almost _died_ on the eve of her twenty-first birthday. Almost two years ago.

She'd been driving up to a local bar, with Bon and their friend Elena, in celebration of the night. She hadn't seen—he'd run out onto the road so fast…she _barely _missed him. The car skidded across the gravel and she pressed on the brakes in shock. And that was the _last_ thing she remembered before waking up in that white hospital room with wires coming _in_ and_ out _of her.

The doctors had said it was a miracle she'd lived. By some _divine_ right, she'd survived…and Elena _hadn't_. She hadn't understood _why_…until she had the first dream.

It felt like more of a memory. Like something she'd locked away in the back of her mind and was only _now_ just recalling how events had unfolded. It had _frightened_ her how _familiar_ the faces—faces she'd _never_ seen before—seemed to her.

The things she had seen…murder and the _utter devastation_ of civilizations. It was if she had been there, had been _someone else_. And what scared her most, more than the violent dreams and the out-of-body experiences, was the fact that she _didn't know_ what else was to come.

:}{}{}{}{:

She'd met a couple vampires before. They'd been passing through Mystic Falls, on this whole _nostalgia_ kick—as Damon had explained. He had been one of the first to arrive, bringing with him a younger brother, Stefan, and an amusing blond named Lexi that surpassed them in both years and wit. She'd taken one _long_ look at the trio and deemed them the most _badass_ vamps she'd ever met, though they were the only ones to ever set foot in town.

She recalled _the moment_ she first set her sights on them, as they sauntered into Mystic Bar & Grill. For some people, especially those who'd never seen a vampire up close before, it would be hard to tell them apart from a living, _breathing_ human. But for some reason…the instant her eyes locked on Damon's icy, blue orbs _she knew_. There was a magnetic pull behind them, almost as if they were urging her to come to him. The blond stared at him for a moment in silent wonder, noting the minor twitch of confusion that crossed his face before its quick disappearance. He'd been trying to _glamour_ her; she'd realized later that the night as she lay in bed. That was when she realized that something was seriously _wrong_ with her.

That had been more than a few months ago, though, and the trio had continued on, leaving her with a sudden feeling of _emptiness_. It was strange…that she'd never felt more _alive_ than in the company of the undead.

It had only been a few days since her last dream. The same one she'd been replaying again over and _over _in her mind. The one of _him_—whoever he was, being reborn. It was like she was in the room with him, _watching _on as he exploded, blood and flesh falling into a puddle where his feet had been. And then…he'd slowly begun to raise again, body covered in _the blood of Lilith_—whatever _that _was.

She shuddered at the image. She'd been unable to shake the feeling that _something_ was headed her way. That was why she had to leave town. She didn't think she'd be able to live with the guilt if any of her loved ones were put in danger because of her. Couldn't stand the thought of losing anyone else…not after what happened to Elena.

Her eyes trained ahead of her, on the road, narrowed slightly as a sign came into view. _Welcome to Bon Temps_.

"Where the _hell_ am I?" She muttered aloud to herself.

"_Caroline_." The sound of her name in the wind caused her to jump. This _could not_ be happening, she thought as her eyes flickered to the empty passenger seat that had been beside her. Her eyes widened at the all too familiar apparition that somehow seemed to be occupying it. It was the man from her dream.

"Wh—who _are you_?" She stammered, recoiling in her seat from him as he leaned over to touch her. Her knuckles whitened under the intense pressure of her clutch on the steering wheel. She refused to look away from the man. Afraid of what may happen if she did.

He tsked, a far from pleasant smile gracing his countenance. He tilted his head, eyes intense with a_ vile_ gleam in them. He flashed a set of pearly whites before speaking up.

"You really should pay attention to the road my dear…" She flinched, eyes reflexively snapping back to the road. She gasped, catching a glimpse of a figure—a man running out of the woods. He'd paused, caught under the glare of her headlights. She reacted quickly, turning the wheel sharply, hoping to avoid the man completely. The car dipped under the sudden shift, falling on its side as it skidded along the empty highway. Her head collided into her side window with a loud thump, an unexpected wave of pain developing in her left temple. She felt limp, dangling from the restraint of her seatbelt. The material dug into her bare shoulder in an almost painful way. She craned her head, expecting to see the man hanging beside her. He was _gone_ and in his place, a pair of dark shoes, standing before the passenger side window. She suppressed the urge to scream as the owner of the boots crouched down, revealing a pair of dark slacks and a light brown button down shirt, the first few undone. Then a face peeked into the car. A sigh escaped her as she took in his appearance. It was a _cop_; she realized catching a glimpse of his badge.

"Are you alright ma'am?" He inquired worriedly. She squinted her eyes at him. He hadn't been the figure from the road she'd swerved to miss. When she did not answer right away a frown began to etch its way onto his face. She had a feeling she did that a lot. Frown, that is. "Ma'am?"

She nodded her head in response, a groan escaping her lips at the stinging pain at her temple. "I'm fine…just a bit rattled."

She managed to get her eyes to focus long enough to memorize the man's aging face. Already he was beginning to show signs of balding, frown or worry lines permanently engraved in his forehead.

"Who are you?" She got out, eyes following his movements as he worked to pry the passenger side door open.

He paused for a moment, staring down with that habitual frown. "Sheriff Bellefleur."

:}{}{}{}{:

She accepted the icepack graciously, pressing it to the side of her head as the Sheriff—or as she'd since been referring to him, Andy—took down her statement on the accident. It seemed the man she'd narrowly avoided was a suspect in a murder investigation. She was glad to hear she _hadn't_ simply been seeing things.

"May I ask what's brought you to Bon Temps?" Andy asked hints of suspicion in his tone. She was beginning to think it was a regular attitude toward strangers that he'd simply developed over the years. She remembered her mom being the same way as Sheriff of Mystic Falls. She'd always been uneasy around out-of-towners that came poking their noses around.

"Just passing through," Caroline offered with a soft smile. Truthfully she didn't know _what_ she was doing in a place called Bon Temps. She'd simply been running from whatever evil was doomed to befall her. Somehow, she'd ended up in Louisiana.

The older man gave her a skeptical look, raising a brow before jotting down her response. She did her best not to roll her eyes at the grunt that left his lips.

"Do you know where I could find a hotel?" She inquired, reminding herself of her lack of boarding. She couldn't very well sleep in her wrecked car. She shifted the ice to the cut on her cheek, a soft hiss escaping her lips.

Andy looked up, countenance giving nothing away as he answered gruffly. "Ma'am, there ain't a hotel for miles around here. The only one we had closed down a few months ago."

The blond wondered if this was what hell was like.

A voice broke the sudden silence that had washed over them. It was another cop, though this one was younger and far more attractive in a way that was hard to describe. The instant she laid eyes on him she _knew_. It was the same feeling she had gotten when she'd first seen Damon. This tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach and like the vampire this man was _different_. He wasn't quite human. There was a sort of glow about him that Sheriff Bellefleur lacked. It was a cool yellow hue that drew her attention.

"_Damn_ Stackhouse, where have _you been_?" Andy bit out at the appearance of the man.

"I ain't got time to explain right now." The man—Stackhouse—informed him before disappearing across the room to a small desk, pulling out a draw and rifling through it.

"What the _hell_ happened?" The sheriff asked, standing from his seat. Stackhouse was silent for a moment, eyes scanning the contents of his desk draw before he found what he was looking for. A key—it seemed. He pocketed the small item before turning to give his superior his attention.

"…Don't worry about it…just go home to Holly, lock your door and screw her like there ain't no tomorrow." He answered thoughtfully. Then he was out there, leaving behind a stunned Andy. That's when she _knew_. He was in trouble. Maybe even the same kind of trouble she'd been trying to run away from. But for some reason, she felt the overwhelming need to _help_ him. She _hated_ that fucking feeling.

:}{}{}{}{:

They'd ended up outside a white house that reminded her of the home she'd lived in as a young girl. She trailed after Andy as he trekked up the porch steps, bring a balled up fist to the door and knocking. They waited a beat

A moment later a blond appeared, peeking her head to see who was outside. When she saw that it was the sheriff she visibly relaxed. She pulled the screen door open, offering a gentle smile. Caroline's eyes widened slightly at the light emanating from around the woman…a sort of brightness that rivaled the one she'd already seen that night from Stackhouse—Jason, the sheriff had said his name was.

"Sorry to bother you, Sookie," Andy spoke up, clearing his throat before continuing. "But I needa favor."

Sookie looked between the two of them before nodding her head slowly, peeking over her shoulder for a moment before returning her attention to the man. "Whatcha need Sheriff?"

"Caroline is in need of a place to stay," He informed her, indicating the blond standing at his side. Before Sookie could speak up to decline he added as an afterthought, "She was in a pretty bad accident tonight. The car was totaled and I don't know where else she could stay for the night. And it would just be for the night."

Sookie's expression was pensive for a moment. She was _definitely_ thinking about it. She stared up at Caroline, tilting her head as if she'd been expecting something else to happen. And when it didn't a sudden interest crossed her face before quickly disappearing.

"Why not?" Sookie sighed, stepping aside to grant the blond entry. "But _only_ for tonight. I'm…_going on a trip_ tomorrow."

Caroline turned to Andy, thanking him for his help before sliding past her _warm_ host and entering the home without further invitation. She found herself wandering into the living room, the sound of the front door closing indicating the sheriff's departure.

She turned on her heel at the sound of a throat being cleared. It was the blond.

"I'm Caroline. Caroline For—"

She was cut off. "You're _not_ a vampire."

Caroline had thought that was pretty obvious.

Sookie went on to continue. "So _what_ are you? Who sent you?"

Caroline was suddenly riddled with confusion, and it seemed her expression showed it because an instant later the suspicious countenance was wiped clean from Sookie's face.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, running a hand through her blond tresses. "Let me find something for you to eat. You must be hungry."

Caroline watched as Sookie disappeared from the room, leaving her for the first time that night since her accident completely _alone_. She looked over the assortment of knickknacks and photos littering the countertop of a coffee table. She leaned over, getting a better look at a photo of the woman and a _very_ familiar man. It was the man from the sheriff's station. Were the two related, she wondered, moving on to another photo. This one of children—siblings—smiling up at the person behind the lens. She smiled in turn gently.

"_Who are you?"_ A smooth voice spoke up from behind her. A chill crept up her spine at the sound. Her head turned toward its source, eyes training on the mountain of a man standing only a few feet behind her studying her carefully. He was a vampire, of that she was _certain._ The cool blue of his eyes pierced through her.

"Caroline Forbes." She said, extending a hand out for him to shake. He stared down at it for a moment before his gaze traveled back up to her face. There was _something_ about the way he was staring at her, as if he were trying to figure something out that both scared and intrigued her to no end. She dropped her hand back to her side, letting her eyes fall to her feet for a moment as silence filled the room. She could even hear the steady rhythm of her heart in her ears. It was then that it happened. _He_ appeared, again for the second time that night. He stood right behind the tall, blond man. Her eyes zeroed in on the offending weapon in his hand as he raised it above his head. It was a wooden _stake_. A scream of _Stop!_ escaped her lips as he brought the point down. And right before her eyes the man exploded in a rain of blood and skin.

She closed her eyes, _willing_ the image away.

Her eyes fluttered open, slowly, taking in the worried expressions of the faces hovering over her. It was Sookie _and_ the blond man, who cradled her body in his arms carefully.

"Careful." Sookie said gently from her place behind the man. "You fainted."

"He's coming." Caroline found herself muttering as the words echoed throughout her mind. What she had seen had been a _warning. The man_ was coming. And it appeared that instead of avoiding the chaos of whatever impending evil was interested in her, she'd driven straight into it. She focused her attention on the man who'd caught her as she'd begun to fall. He stared down at her was a gleam of interest behind his lovely, blue orbs. His face fell at what she had to said next. "_The man…the blood…_he's _coming_."

* * *

_**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **the blood of Eve

**Pairing:** Caroline/Eric; One-sided Caroline/Bill; Pam/Tara

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's note:** Sorry it has taken so long to update. I would have updated last weekend but I've had an unbelievably heavy work load. Hope you enjoy! Sorry for any oocness.

* * *

Holy water cannot help you now

See I've had to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

_**Seven Devils**__, Florence and the Machine_

* * *

**II**

His nostrils flared as a _strange_ scent suddenly filled the air. He cocked his head to the side, listening intently as two people—a man and a woman—approached the Stackhouse property. If it weren't for the overwhelming aroma, a mixture of sweet lavender, lilies and…_sunlight_…he would have answered the door himself, instead of allowing Sookie to do it. The smell wasn't _particularly_ fairy. No, it was something _else_ entirely, he concluded as the blond assented to the Sheriff's request. The sweet tang was almost human, but—there was a peculiarity about it that drew him out of the room that had been his when he'd lost him memory temporarily.

He followed the fragrance, eyes narrowing on the petite frame of a woman he'd never had the pleasure of bedding before this meeting. His eyes trailed over her form as she peered down at the contents of Sookie's coffee table.

"Who are you?" He asked smoothly, altering her to his presence. Her head turned, soft blue orbs widening slightly as she took him in. Eric studied her intently, noting the incredible similarities she stared with the Stackhouse—blond hair, lushes curves that he wouldn't mind—he blinked as she extended a hand out for him in greeting.

"_Caroline Forbes_." Even her voice held a certain southern twang that was innocently alluring. His gaze fell to her hand for a moment before returning his attention to her angelic face. She _wasn't_ a fairy, but she _wasn't_ completely human. And there was no way she could have gotten into the house without an invitation. He'd been listening—Sookie hadn't granted one. _So what was she?_ Her hand fell to her side, eyes falling to her feet at his lack of appliance to decorum.

He noted the sudden change in her heartbeat, the sound drumming erratically in his ears as she looked back up at him. There was a look of _utter_ horror on her face, her eyes staring somewhere off behind him.

"_Stop!_" She screamed at the top of her lungs. His brows scrunched in confusion at the uproar and he raced forward to catch her as her body swayed, going completely limp in his arms.

"What _the hell _was that?" Sookie exclaimed, racing back into the living room. Her eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious woman as she moved to hover over his shoulder. A moment later Caroline came to, eyes fluttering open slowly. Eric could not ignore the tingle of warmth that enveloped him as he held the blond in his arms, making him feel almost _alive_ with heat. He stared down into her confused countenance.

"Careful," Sookie cooed behind him in her softest voice. "You fainted."

The man stared down at—Caroline, she had said her name was—wonder _what the fuck_ had just happened. Her lips quivered as she suddenly spoke up breathily.

"He's coming," She stammered, in an almost trance-like state, staring up at him intensely. "_The man…the blood…he's coming_."

His look of interest fell at her words, brows knotting in surprise. He peered over his shoulder; looking eyes with the woman seemed to know _exactly_ what he was thinking. Whoever this woman was…she _knew_—or at least seemed to know…about a man that sounded eerily like Bill Compton. A man who'd only days ago devoured the blood of Lilith and been reborn. And if that was true, then how did she _know_? When he and Sookie had been the only ones there to see…

:}{}{}{}{:

Her eyes followed him as he paced the floor of the living room, uncharacteristically pensive expression on him face. She turned to stare at her house guest, sending the woman an empathetic smile before returning her attention to the man who seemed to be mulling things over. After hearing everything the blond had to tell them about the apparition that had…_killed_ Eric, there was a sudden uneasiness at the remarkable likeness the man she described had to Bill. But—it couldn't be—she couldn't have seen—Sookie shook her head of the idea entirely. Vampires, _sure they existed_, Weres, _no problem_, even Witches she could believe. But, a being that could see things like what the woman had described…_not a chance in hell._

At least, in her heart, she _couldn't_ accept that truth just quite yet.

And the fact that she couldn't read the blond's mind…well that had sent out red flags the moment she laid eyes on her. Could they even trust her?

Eric paused mid-step, turning to stare down at Caroline, orbs gleaming under the florescent lighting of the room. There was something about the way he looked at her—an unmasked interest, that sent a wave of jealously crashing down on her. She _knew_ that look. It was the one he had given her when they'd fist meet at Fangtasia. A look of heated interest.

"What do you know?" He inquired sharply, standing over her. He leaned down until they were nose to nose and he had the woman pressing further into the comfort of a worn sofa.

"I already told you," She bit back, lips quivering with each word at his suddenly close proximity. "And have you ever heard of _personal_ space?"

Sookie snorted, recalling how the man had always seemed to _hover_ around her when she was near, enjoying irritating her with his physical being. Well, that was before they'd fucked. Now it seemed he'd been unable to look at her with the light in his eyes that he'd once had. She blamed it on what happened while he was under the watch of the Authority. He'd hardened—more so than before. His eyes spoke o the horrors that had occurred behind those walls, things he did not even wish to speak of.

His gaze narrowed as he starred down at her. They were trying to lull her into telling him the truth, coaxing her with a false sense of security.

Caroline stared back up at him, raising a brow in bemusement. "That glamour _shit_ doesn't work with me, _sweetie_."

He ran his tongue over his teeth, exposing a set of sharp fangs—a means to _terrify_ her with the possibilities of pain they held. But she'd been scared for far too long, even running away from home to protect the people she loved from the inevitable _evil_ that would come after her. But that evil _was not_ that blond man that stood before her wearing a menacing glare.

It was in his eyes—the windows to the soul, she remembered her mother had called them. A deep sadness and…something else that was a bit harder to identify. She actually felt kind of _bad_ for the man, who so obviously did not know what was to come. Only bits and pieces.

She sighed, running a hand through her blond locks before speaking up. "He—I don't know _who_ he is. I know he was a vampire, but…I don't know what he is_ now_. He was dead…and then he wasn't. To my knowledge vampires don't come back to life after they've…_blown up_."

"We don't." The man stated firmly, finally taking a step back, nose flaring.

"He keeps _appearing_, when I least want him to," Caroline added softly, letting her head fall slightly as she stared down at her hands, twiddling her thumbs in her lap. "He says these _things_ that don't make sense."

"What sorts of things?" Sookie inquired, drawing the two's attention away from one another. Caroline shook her head as the memories and dreams came flooding back. So much blood…and death…it was almost too much to bear. But at the same time, there was a glimmer of _enjoyment_ that seemed to peek out from the smallest, darkest part inside of her. And she shuddered at that notion.

"About how he is a god and that _everyone_ will bow before him and fear him," Caroline murmured, not including the part about him _waiting_ for her to come to him. Or the fact that he almost _always_ initiated some form of contact between them in her dreams—some more _sexual_ than others. It was sickening.

Eric's jaw twitched slightly at her admittance and they fell into silence yet again as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. It was a wonder Bill had not yet come for them, or Sookie—for that matter, seeing as how he now saw her as an _abomination_ that needed to be wiped clean off of the face of the earth. But they were leaving tomorrow. It wasn't a _coincidence_ that the woman had shown up on Sookie's doorstep. Or that she'd had a _vision_ right in front of him that depicted what they'd seen only days ago.

There were two possibilities: the first was that Bill had sent her to earn their trust, then kill them in their sleep…or call for him to come do the job. And the second, and it sounded completely _ridiculous, _was that she was telling the _truth_. She _had_ seen an apparition of Bill staking him…had been having dreams about the man. But then, he didn't know what that meant exactly and he didn't like being in the dark when it came to things of the numinous variety.

But for some reason, _something_ was telling him to believe her. Trust in her. Some voice in the back of his head that sounded eerily like Godric.

A sigh escaped his lips as their eyes meet. Blue clashing with blue in a heated stare. If it were any other time he would have acted on the sudden impulse he felt to throttle the woman and take her against the nearest wall—her sweet aroma filling the air—but this was business. He had to maintain the safety of Sookie, and his life as well.

Now it seemed Caroline might be of some _importance_ if she was having visions of Compton. Something that may come in handy in the future that could help end their newly risen _Billith_ problem.

"Sookie, we're leaving _tonight_. Go pack." He said, head snapping in the blond's direction. The woman nodded, sliding out of her seat and sauntering out of the room to do as he said.

Caroline suppressed a shudder as his eyes flickered to her momentarily, assessing something internally before coming to a decision. "You're coming with us."

For a moment, the blond was stunned speechless, uncertain she had heard the man correctly.

"_Excuse me?_" She got out in an even tone, crossing her arms over her chest.

His mouth contracted into a tight lipped smile. There was something about the way he looked at her that almost made it hard to _breath_. No one had ever had this effect on her before.

" . .us." He said slowly, as if that had been the issue. She scoffed; scowl etching its way onto her face as he crouched down until they were eyelevel again.

"If you want to _live_, you'll _listen_ and do as I say." With that he stood to his full height, trotting out of the room with a graceful gait that seemed to be habitual to vampires.

"Fuck you," She exclaimed, knowing full well that he could still hear her. Silence was her only reply.

"This cannot be _fuckin' _happening." She grumbled, running a hand down her face, realizing the trouble she'd seemed to stumble upon. Fate was none too kind to her. And she _knew _it would only get _worse_ from here on out. _If_ she managed to survive that long.

:}{}{}{}{:

When Sookie returned from packing she lead the blond into her bedroom, offering her a quick shower before they headed out on the road that night. It was the _one_ good thing that seemed to come out of this night from hell. Caroline accepted graciously, giving the woman a smile before closing the bathroom door behind her and allowing a pool of warm water to wash over her.

Her hand grazed the small cut that marred her temple, one of the only indications of the accident she had been in that night. An accident that almost paralleled the one that had taken Elena's life. Her body quivered at the memory.

She grabbed the loofah Sookie had leant her, lathering it with one of the body washes that littered the woman's shower caddie—it smelt of dandelions. She smiled at the scent, running the sponge down the length of her arms, across her chest and down the flat expanse of her stomach. It was strange how one simple shower could turn her night around—or at least, momentarily. She let out a wistful sigh, the foamy white suds trickling down her body to her feet.

Her mind drifted to the man that was only a few rooms away. There was something about him that was _alluring_…the soft hue of light that surrounded him being an indication of his true nature. She could not deny—the man was _walking sex_.

Caroline ran a hand through her mess of blond hair, dipping her head under the spray of water until her damp hair began to fall about her face in thick clusters. This must be what _heaven_ is like, she thought, a halfhearted smile playing at her lips. The steady stream of droplets gently beating across her skin…the heady steam clearing her head…it was all _very _relaxing.

And like a sudden cloud moving in, ready to rain on her parade, a hand appeared, clutching an end of the shower curtain concealing her and tugging it aside.

The blond gasped at the unexpected gust of cold that chased off the warmth that had once been a comfort to her body.

"What the _hell_?" She growled out at the man now standing before her, towel in hand. He simply stared back at her with a stoic expression that rivaled Stefan's. His eyes starred pointedly at his face, something few men had been able to do in her naked presence.

"We're leaving in ten minutes." He informed her smoothly, extending the towel out for her, which she quickly did; wrapping it around her frame and sending him a scowl.

Before she could voice a string of profanities that would make Damon—the foulest mouth she _ever _heard—cringe, the mountain of a man turned gracefully on the heel of his shoe, leaving her to her own devices.

Caroline stepped out of the shower, effectively cutting off the flow of water and wandering into the room designated as Sookie's. It appeared the woman had laid out a change of clothes for her. There were a pair of yellow pastel colored shorts, a delicate looking white v-neck tank top, a floral cardigan that reminded her something she'd worn in high school with its intricate color scheme of pink, white and green, and a pair of cream colored ballet fats.

The blond worked her way into the clothes, body growing stiff—an effect from her accident that night, she grumbled in thought. When she was done she wandered silently out of the room, finding the two blonds that had so _graciously_ decided to take her with them on their little _trip_ in the kitchen talking in hushed voices. When she entered the room they went silent, turning their heads toward her. Sookie offered a gentle smile.

"Well, don't you look _much_ better?" She said kindly, lips curved into a hundred-watt grin. "I pack you some more of my clothes…for the trip."

Caroline nodded, unable to think of anything to say that _wouldn't_ offend someone. Sookie was being _so nice _and she didn't want to be the bitch that upset the girl simply because the _vampire_ decided they were going to take her with them. As if that made _any_ sense to her at all.

"Thank you." She murmured softly, pushing a loose blond lock behind her ear, not missing the glint that flicker in Eric's eyes as he watched her silently. She could not tell _what_ it was…anger, annoyance, _desire_…he was a hard man to read.

Caroline turned, ready to retreat out of the room when _his _voice filled her head.

"_They can't protect you! No one can. Not from me…_"

A cold finger grazed the base of her neck, earning a shudder in response. She could feel his presence at her back…smell the habitual stench of blood in the air—a scent that had _not_ been there before.

"What do you want?" Her lips quivered as his hand dipped down, fingers digging into the flesh of her hip and pulling her flush against him. She knew he was naked. He _always_ was in her dreams and the instances he appeared to her while she was awake.

She cringed as he ran his tongue down the side of her face, leaving a trail of moist flesh to contend with the sudden breeze surrounding them.

"I _want_ to rip that beating heart out of your _pretty_ little chest." He said in sing-song, fingers drumming over the spot where her heart lay, beating erratically. "I _want_ to bathe in your blood."

His lips brushed across her ear as he added in a low voice, "And I _want _to torment you till the point of _insanity _until I have you _begging_ for me to end your miserable life."

Caroline felt herself falling, through _darkness_ and _time_, unsure of _what_ had happened after. Her eyes popped open as the sound of music filled her ears. She pushed herself up, realizing she was moving—or well, the car she was in was. At the wheel sat Sookie, who was silently crowing to the music, eyes trained straight ahead at the road.

"Oh, good, you're up." The woman exclaimed, peering at her through the rear view mirror. Caroline felt a familiar throbbing at her temple. She nodded in response, noting that Eric was sitting in the passenger side, staring out the window.

"_Wher—" _Before she could voice her inquisition about where it was they were going the car pulled along the edge of the road, headlights flickering off.

The blond looked between the two, wondering _what_ she had gotten herself into. They sat in silence for a moment, the only sound coming from up ahead. It was another car—this one bigger, reminding her of one of the service vans meant for companies like landscaping or catering. The car came to a stop only a few feet away, headlights flickering once, twice, three times. Eric pushed his door open, moving to open Caroline's too. She peered up at him as she climbed out of the back, _confusion_ evidently etched on her face. She didn't look away from him as Sookie appeared at her side, handing over her packed bag before wandering over to the second car.

Caroline didn't move as the man reached a hand out, readjusting the strap of her moderately sized duffle; didn't flinch as he placed a hand at the small of her back, guiding her over to the others

"Who _the fuck_ is this?" A woman—Pam, Eric had muttered under his breath, asked, annoyance laced in her words as she stared down at the blond.

"Pamela." Was all the man had to say to get her to shut up. A dejected look crossed her face before quickly disappearing.

"Where's Jason?" Sookie inquired, looking from the older blond, to the darker woman, to the brunette who wore a worried expression.

"He went ahead of us with Jess," The darker woman informed her, as it seemed no one else had been readying to relay that information. Sookie nodded.

"She smells…_different_." The brunette spoke up suddenly, eyeing Caroline with interest. There was a gleam of hunger in her eyes that was _unmistakable. _"Can I _have_ this one?"

A low growl vibrated from Eric's throat as he narrowed his eyes at the woman. "No, Nora. This one _is mine_."

_His?_

The woman—Nora—huffed dejectedly, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting like a child who had not been granted the new toy that they'd wished to play with. And Caroline was that toy. She couldn't tell if Eric's interference was _quite_ a good thing, yet. But if being _his_ meant that she was protected from a vampire wanting to _taste her_, well then she'd just have to _live_ with it.

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_**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. **_


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **the blood of Eve

**Pairing:** Caroline/Eric; One-sided Caroline/Bill; Pam/Tara

**Rating:** M

**Warnings:** Language, violence, and sexual situations

**Author's note:** Sorry it took so long to update. I've been busy with exams all weeks. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't be afraid to leave a review. I appreciate constructive criticism and love hearing your thoughts on the story.

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Holy water cannot help you now

See I've had to burn your kingdom down

And no rivers and no lakes can put the fire out

I'm gonna raise the stakes, I'm gonna smoke you out

_**Seven Devils**__, Florence and the Machine_

**III**

They'd been on the road for hours, days, _years _(it had _only_ been one day). …time seemed to have lost all meaning to the woman as her eyes were trained out the passenger side window of the van that had become her temporary home, on the road, during the day There was idleness about being on the road—this sense that she was _running away_ from something. And she truly was…running away from the man who wanted her heart, wanted to _bathe _in her blood. She shivered at the memory, reflexively bringing tugging the cardigan Sookie had lent her tighter around her frame.

"Are you cold?" Sookie's voice reminded her that she was not _completely_ alone. What was it her mother always told her? _Blonds have to stick together_, she thought, a small smile playing at her lips at the memory.

Caroline shook her head, offering the woman a reassuring smile. Sookie simply nodded before returning her attention to the road ahead of her, lips moving to the soft music playing over the radio. It was some song Caroline was not quite familiar with, but it was nice.

She peeked over her shoulder, checking on the stack of coffins configured in the wide back of the van. Her eyes flickered to the one Eric had climbed into only hours ago.

He was _different_ from any vampire she had ever met. Older than Lexi—if the light emanating off of him was any indication. And there was something about his eyes, they way he looked at her, that send tingles throughout her body making almost too hard to concentrate on answering his questions. Or at least the ones she could answer.

She couldn't help but watch him. The way he was with Pam—his _only_ Progeny, and Nora—his _sister_, though the way she stared at him with such…_lust_…indicated otherwise.

There was a sudden sensation of _jealousy_ that she couldn't seem to account for. It wasn't as if she was in a _relationship_ with the blond man. A few days ago they hadn't even known each other. It didn't make sense—well at least not to _her_. She _shouldn't_ be feeling this way.

Caroline quickly shifted in her seat, gaze snapping down to her lap where she was fiddling her fingers. She'd been doing that _a lot_…since Elena—she closed her eyes, pressing her forehead into the cool glass of the passenger side window.

A minute later, or maybe an hour, someone shook her awake. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, taking in the unexpected figure hovering over her frame in the open doorway. It was Tara—the dark-skinned woman that reminded her a bit of Bonnie's grams Shelia. It was the seriousness etched on her face that truly did it for her. But at that moment, the woman simply wore a look of indifference with a hit of slight annoyance.

"_Thank you_." Caroline murmured gently, climbing out of the seat, planting her feet firmly on the asphalt ground. It was then that she noticed two things. The first, they were standing in the middle of a parking lot. The second, the sun had gone down and there was not a star in the sky.

"_Don't_ mention it." Tara responded, with a bit of bite behind her words. The blond ignored it, raising her arms over her head and stretching out her back (it had been a _long_ car ride).

"Where's Sookie?" Caroline inquired, looking about them and noting the _lack_ of the southern belle.

"Getting us a room for the night," The woman informed her, arms crossed over her chest as she leaned against the hood of the van, scowl firmly in place. "Just so you know, I _don't_ trust you."

Caroline did her best to brush off the jab at her dependability. It wasn't like she hadn't heard this _shit_ before. Hell, she'd probably been the biggest _bitch_ back in high school.

She suddenly had that undeniable feeling of _cold_ run down to her toes, evoking a shiver.

The blond jumped slightly as arms encompassed her and an unexpected heavy feeling graced her shoulders. Her eyes flew down as pale hands slowly pulled away from her, leaving behind the only evidence they had been there. A worn _black, leather jacket_. She peeked over her shoulder, blue orbs looking on those of Eric as he took a step back, face scrunched up in a way that was not befitting to his handsome face.

"_Oh_…you don't have—" He raised a finger, effectively silencing her.

There was an unreadable expression on his face as he stared over her shoulder, gaze fixed on Tara.

"Go help your _maker_, Tara," The man said with an air of authority. Tara's frown deepened and with a roll of the eyes she disappeared.

Eric's intense stare drifted over her for a moment as silence settled between them. It was hard to imagine _this_ _man_ ever being human—the fluidity of his movements, his commanding presence. Her fingers played with the zipper of his jacket, eyes staring back into his.

A pensive expression crossed countenance for a moment before it disappeared. Of the few emotions he had shown, _that_ was by far the most interesting. He looked at her as if he'd been trying to figure something out. Then it was if he was reminded of _something_ (she didn't quite know what) and any indication of interest quickly vanished.

"Get inside." He ordered, reaching an arm out, and directing her toward the two story complex only a few yards away, a bright red neon _OPEN_ sign flashing in the window designated as the main lobby. She internally groaned. God, how she _hated _seedy motels.

:}{}{}{}{:

Caroline paced the floor of the room, feeling like a caged _animal _for the first time in her life. She did her best to ignore the pair of eyes following her movements; ignored the fact that Sookie had been allowed to leave to go pick them up food, while she'd been forced to stay behind. Nora had been ordered to go with the woman, _protection_ against any unseen foe that might have been following them, waiting to catch them with their pants down. Tara and Pam had disappeared within the first hour, claiming they were going to check out the _area for any signs of hostiles._ Truthfully, from the energy radiating between the two, Caroline assumed their true intent was to simply screw each other's brains out.

"Are you going to do this _all_ night?" Eric spoke up from where he sat. She paused, mid step, turning to face the man who'd raised such a _ridiculous _question. She raised a perfectly arched brow at him, resting a hand on her hip as she took in his laid-back demeanor. This was possibly the _first_ time she'd seen the man at ease.

"Are you going to be a _dick_ all night?" The blond said snippily in response. Usually she was _much _kinder than this…but the man was just so…_aggravating_. It was frustrating—being unsure if she wanted to throttle him or push him up against a wall and have her way with him.

A soft hue of red graced her cheeks at the mere _thought_ of it. Now she was the one being ridiculous.

His answer was silence. But, she was growing used to his type—_tall, dark, and silent_. Caroline returned to her pacing, eyes darting around the room, doing her best to look at something, _anything_, other than him. She bit her bottom lip, tapping her fingers absentmindedly against her bare legs with every step she took.

Maybe it was time to call Bonnie and get the _hell _out of there; get back to Mystic Falls where people knew her, cared about her…_loved _her. Caroline blinked, once, twice…

A familiar sensation of cold enveloped her. She'd been wondering when she'd see _him_ again. She closed her eyes, willing whatever horror she was befallen to witness would simply go away. A hush filled the room, darkness encompassing the space within her mind. A single digit—too familiar a touch—ran along the nape of her neck, trailing down her spine slowly. She cringed at the touch as the man spoke.

"No one _loves_ you," He growled into her ear, resting a hand on the curve of her hip and pulling her into him. "You are _disposable_…_useless_. Your _only _purpose is to die."

Caroline flinched at the implications of his words. He was _determined_ to kill her. Why? She didn't know. Maybe she would _never_ know. And that frightened her more than anything.

"I'm going to rip your heart right out of your chest, and when I do, I'm going to _devour_ it." His words were enough to put anyone on edge and she felt the hairs at the nape of her neck stand up in fright. It was the conviction in his voice.

She fought against his hold; he had surprising strength over her for an apparition.

"Let me go!" Caroline exclaimed, closing her eyes as she continued to fight against him. "_Please!_ Just let me go."

"_Calm down_, _min älskling." _Her eyes snapped open at the habitual voice. _Eric._ He had an arm secured around her waist, seemingly keeping her upright while his free hand smoothed down her blond locks, in an attempt to soothe her.

Her heart pounded erratically in her ears and she went slack in his arms, back pressing into the impressively hard chest of the man. His hush words served to calm her—words she didn't understand as they were in some foreign language.

"_Breathe…breathe…_" He cooed softly in to her ear as he held her body against him. Caroline closed her eyes, doing as he instructed. After a few deep breaths she found herself calming down a bit from the fright of her _latest_ apparition. She didn't know what had come over her. The man had hardly stirred such a reaction from her…but this time…the things he said…the _way_ in which he said it…"Breathe, min älskling."

Caroline exhaled deeply, turning slowly in his hold until they were chest to chest. She stared up at him, noting the mixture of emotions that she could not quite identify. The way he was looking at her—the slight haze behind his electric blue orbs was enough to effectively silence her.

Her breath hitched faintly as his head dipped down, until their faces where only inches apart.

The blond's gaze flickered to his lips for a moment, set in a thin line, following his swift movements. He lowered his nose along the line of her neck, nostrils flaring as they took in her scent.

"_Eric?_" She questioned as he fisted her hips. The man remained silent, so she tried again. "Eric!"

His eyes snapped up, locking on her. He stilled for a moment, _surprised_ by what he caught himself doing. Without another word he pushed away from her, turning his back to her and returning to his perch.

She couldn't ignore the flash of confusion that crossed his face for a second before it quickly disappeared, replace with his habitual expression of indifference. Caroline sighed, plopping down on one of the queen sized beds on the other side of the room, _hoping_ to keep some distance between them for the time being.

When Sookie returned half an hour later, Nora at her heels, they were greeted with an awkward tension they accredited to Eric _technically_ kidnapping the blond woman and her seemingly _hating_ his guts. Sookie handed Caroline the greasy hamburger and curly fries she'd requested before attending to her _own_ food. They ate in silence, tension in the air, as Eric _refused_ to allow his gaze to wander in the _hostage's_ direction, once.

:}{}{}{}{:

The _unmistakable _aroma of _death_ hit her nose the instant they entered the small Louisiana bar (as they had _never_ left the state). It was apparently a _vampire _bar. Pam mentioned it wasn't as successful as the one she owned back up in Shreveport. The blood, red sign read _**Hel**_ as they crossed the threshold of the establishment and Caroline didn't miss the sudden shift in Eric's behavior. He placed a hand on her hip, pulling her closer to him as they crossed the black, marble floor of the room, Sookie and Nora trailing behind them.

Her eyes danced across the eerie looking patrons—all dressed in black, leather, eyes lined with coal, disgruntled looks on their faces. They didn't get very far before they were suddenly _greeted_ by an unfamiliar woman. Her blond tresses were tied up into a high bun and she wore a white paint suit that was surprisingly well fitted to her athletic frame.

"Now, if it isn't Eric Northman" The woman said with an air of familiarity in her tone that incited a bit of…_jealousy_…within Caroline. For reasons, she was not quite sure of. Caroline watched as the gorgeous blond approached the man in question, "What brings you all the way down to our _modest_ establishment?"

_Our?_

"I'm here to speak with your brother." Eric informed her, skipping the formalities. The blond raised a brow at him, lips puckering in a sly grin as she nodded in understanding.

"No, Eric, you _know_ you have to be more specific than that. Who is it you're after? Kol? Elijah? Not poor Finn. You're a couple months too late for him. He met the true death, along with that redheaded _skank_ he was _so _fond of."

"I'm here to see Nik, _Rebekah_" He informed, the way he said the blond's name indicating _no_ glimmer of fondness. He was strictly business. The woman—Rebekah's mouth twitched and she looked past him, eyes drifting over Sookie before sliding over to Caroline. The mountain of a man moved, obstructing Rebekah's vision of the other blond, expression revealing no indication behind his motives.

Rebekah tilted her head before speaking up. "Come with _me_."

She turned on the heel of her expensive looking red pumps, sauntering across the room and opening a white, leather door. Eric peered over his shoulder, giving Nora a silent nod. His eyes fell to Caroline for a moment, but before she could say _anything_ he was following after the _she-devil_.

"I _hate_ that bitch." Nora breathed out as the two blond's turned to her. There was a gleam in her eye that was reminiscent of a malicious brunette sighed, nodding her head towards the bar for them to follow her.

Caroline trailed after Nora obediently—sure that if she didn't Eric would give her _hell_, Sookie at her heels. The woman manning the bar was a dark haired pixie, offering a friendly enough expression as they approached.

"What can I get you?" She inquired as the trio claimed a few empty stools for themselves.

"Any Tru Blood left?" Nora inquired hopefully, though she was fairly certain of what the answer would be. Russell and Simone had made _sure_ there would be a…_significant _depletion of synthetic blood for the mainstreamers to depend on. And when hunger struck and they could no longer control their craving for blood, _well_…the streets would be _running_ with it. The brunette shook her head, eyes flickering to where Sookie and Caroline sat.

"Anything for you?" She asked with a roll of the tongue. Sookie shook her head. The woman's eyes drifted over Caroline, tilting her head, pensive expression etching its way onto her face. "_Hey_, do I _know _you…from somewhere?"

The blond shook her head. She was _fairly_ certain she'd never seen this woman _in her life_. "I—I don't think so."

Her gaze dropped down to her hands, hoping the woman would take the hint that she did not wish to continue this conversation. She was beginning to get that familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach—a _red flag_ that something was _off_.

The pixieish brunette nodded slowly, leaving them to themselves to attend to another customer—a busty redhead in a tight leather leotard. Caroline mentally rolled her eyes at the image that would _forever_ be ingrained in her head.

"That was _weird,_" Sookie spoke up once the bartender was out of earshot. Caroline nodded her head in agreement, sliding a look down the countertop to where the pixie stood chatting up an apparent local. "Anyway, Nora…_how_ do Eric and Rebekah know each other?"

Nora raised a brow at the question—one Caroline was happy had been voiced. The change in topic was _enough _to get her mind off the case of mistaken identity. "Isn't it _obvious?_ They used to fuck. Mostly to piss off her brother Niklaus—_well_ half-brother."

The blond was certain that if it she'd assented to a drink she'd have been choking it up by now at the reveal. Eric and the _she-devil_? She cast her eyes in the direction they'd disappeared in, an unfamiliar ache in her chest..._god_, what was wrong with her?

:}{}{}{}{:

He followed swaying hips and the determined clicks of expensive pumps. Rebekah—she _hadn't_ changed a bit. She was still _the same_ cold hearted, desperate for attention, _bitch _he'd left behind _years_ ago. What they'd had…it wasn't _love—_or at least the picture that had been painted of it over the centuries of blissful happiness and devotion. No. What they had, was more of a…_business_ arrangement, if anything and the _only_ bond they shared was over their mutual origins. Rebekah and her brothers had been living in a Viking village, in the Americas (before they had been discovered) when they'd greeted the future of immortality.

When he'd first met the woman he'd been intrigued by the passion behind her eyes—but he quickly came to realized that _passion_ was simply _bloodlust_.

She was vain…and untrustworthy. But she was _perfect_ for one-upping her brother in their little game of chess.

Rebekah pushed through a back door, slinking in and announcing their presence.

"Brother _dear_, you have a guest."

"_Not_ now Bekah." The thickly accented voice rang out through the room. He had his back to them, phone at his ear in mid-conversation.

"_Oh_ I think you're going to want to hear this," There was an idle promise in her words. She knew he simply _couldn't_ resist. He turned in his seat, surprise evident as it graced his countenance.

"_I'll call you back_," Niklaus mumbled into the receiver before quickly hanging up. He returned his attention to the tall, blond man standing in the middle of his office—arrival unexpected.

"Nik."

"_Eric._" Niklaus breathed out in surprise, standing to his feet. There was uncertainty behind his eyes as he stared back at the man. They'd shared a long…_complicated_ history. One that he'd hoped would be left in the past/

"I've come to collect on that _favor_ you owe me."

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_**Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. **_


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